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"The deft hand of Nebbiolo Whisperer" - Wine Advocate
The Rarest of Rare Breathtaking Barolo Unicorns
G.B. BURLOTTO WALKED SO GIACOMO CONTERNO COULD RUN!
ONLY 3-6 BOTTLES ALLOCATED
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"This wine feels like a delicate whisper in the ear that tickles and taunts but gets its message across."
100 Points - Wine Advocate
"The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero is a knock-out. What a wine. Rich and layered in the glass, with striking textural intensity..."
99 Points - Vinous
"...ultrafine tannins and a long finish, this is highly refined, with a Burgundian aesthetic of purity and beautiful concentration."
99 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
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During his seventy-seven years as a winemaker (1850-1927), G.B. Burlotto’s accomplishments were rivaled only by those of Biondi-Santi and Vega Sicilia, as G.B. achieved superstardom in a world dominated by French wines. Today, Burlotto has re-emerged as one of Piemonte’s great small producers, thanks to the brilliant and highly traditional winemaking of G.B.’s great-great-grandson, Fabio Alessandria.
He pioneered selling Barolo in bottle (not cask or demijohn), predating even Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Monfortino. And as official supplier to the Royal House of Savoy—which once ruled Piemonte—he not only achieved personal fame, he made his village of Verduno as renowned as Serralunga or La Morra.
G.B.’s death in 1927 not only took away Burlotto’s driving force, it also deprived Verduno of its greatest champion. And so both faded into obscurity in the decades that followed. But now, with G.B.’s great-great-grandson Fabio Alessandria as winemaker, Burlotto’s star is again rising, reclaiming its position as one of Piedmont’s great small producers.
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Here's what Jeb Dunnuck's Audrey Frick had to say about this winery during her visit earlier this year:
"There is a great commitment and dedication to the other varietals of the region, with only half of the total production being Nebbiolo and the remaining half Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa, Pelaverga, and Sauvignon Blanc. Fermentation for the Barolo occurs in 20-year-old open-top French oak containers, with some punching down, but generally a gentle approach. In the cellar, they utilize 30-year-old large French oak casks, and when barrels need to be replaced, only Barbera or Langhe Nebbiolo will go into the new barrels on occasion...The style is marked by lift and energy, with the majority offering an outstanding bouquet of aromatics. They tend to lean toward a Burgundian aesthetic in that they are highly expressive and offer fantastic mineral texture in a medium frame. The indigenous grapes are not to be missed and offer some of the best-hidden gems at an insane value when and if you can find them."
In addition to the new 2020 Barolos we were able to score a few mere bottles of the 2019 vintage as well. Note: these are 100 point wines, people, and they won't last long! PLUS on top of the exceptional Barolo, we were able to scrounge a handful of his 2022 Langhe Nebbiolo and both 2022 and 2023 Pelaverga - this is a unique heirloom Italian variety of red wine grape, described as light ruby red in color, with intense fruity, spicy aromas and lively, delicate strawberry notes on the palate. This wine is easy to drink and pairs well with numerous dishes, which makes it very popular - The Art of Eating's Levi Dalton praises Pelaverga's versatility:
"Every Pelaverga producer I talked with--even today there are not many--mentioned Pelaverga's versatility at the table. Traditionally, you might drink it with the local carne cruda (chopped raw beef) or salsiccia di Bra (raw beef sausage), but the wine is also friendly toward all sorts of pasta preparations, and the producers say you can drink it with fish, especially salmon. It also pairs easily with many dishes involving chicken."The Art of Eating notes that Alessandria loves Pelaverga with snails, "but his eyes lit up when he described Pelaverga with mushrooms. 'This is something special.'"
Ciao,
James Tran
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2020 G.B. Burlotto
Barolo DOCG
95 Points – Wine Advocate:
“The Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2020 Barolo has delicate floral aromas with almond blossom and red fruits. To the palate, the wine shows a very tight and compact texture, tonic and polished, with lingering lavender bud, some grilled herb, sour cherry, tart flavors, glossy tannins and nice acidity. This is one for the purists."
93 Points – Jeb Dunnuck:
“Medium red in color, the 2020 Barolo is inviting and fruity. Its characteristic elegant profile features notes of pristinely preserved strawberries, candied roses, apricot, and sweet tea. Medium-bodied and fresh, with delicate, sweet fruit floating through the palate, it has ultra-fine tannins, and a clean, long finish. It’s easy to love this now, and it will have a wide open window for enjoyment over the next 5-7 years.”
Only 11 x Bottles Left
Elsewhere $120.00
OURS $89.97
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2019 G.B. Burlotto
Barolo DOCG
95 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2019 Barolo sees fruit from a large vineyard site in the Breri MGA with southern exposures and slightly lower elevations. It borders Monvigliero but only reaches 250 meters in elevation. It also shares the blue marl soils that distinguish this area. The wine offers pretty fruit intensity with ruby fruit, bright cherry and cassis. This vintage takes a little longer to open, and although it doesn't share the complexity of its neighboring cru, this is a fine expression from Verduno. (Drink 2025-2045)"
93 Points - Decanter:
"It's true that to understand a producer one should taste the entry-level wine, and the talent of Fabio Alessandria does not lack in this blend. Its vermouth-like nose is full of aromatic herbs, bitter orange, wild strawberry and cinnamon. A graceful signature of the estate, it's supported by brilliant acidity and velvety tannins with a chalky yet polished finish. An enjoyable Barolo, not without potential for ageing. (Drink between 2023-2045)"
93 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
Only 5 x Bottles Left
Elsewhere $196.00
OURS $99.97
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2023 G.B. Burlotto
Langhe Nebbiolo
93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The deft hand of Nebbiolo Whisperer Fabio Alessandria is apparent in this entry-level red. The Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo shows a pretty level of transparency and lightness with a thin veil of wild berry, wilted blue flower and alpine stone. The effect is refined and very fine."
91 Points - Vinous:
"The 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo is another stellar wine in this range from Burlotto. It expresses all the classicism and personality of the house style, unfurling in the glass with crushed rose petal, orange peel, mint, white pepper and cinnamon. The Langhe Nebbiolo is 60-70% declassified fruit from Barolo-designated vineyards, while the rest is from sites just over the appellation border. It spent ten months in cask. (Drink between 2024-2031)" - Antonio Galloni (Jan 2024)
Only 6 x Bottles Left
Elsewhere $70.00
OURS $45.97
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2020 G.B. Burlotto "Monvigliero" Barolo DOCG
100 Points - Luca Gardini:
"One of the key labels for Verduno and for the typology, in a version with a proverbial refinement. Blueberry, touches of clementine zest, hints of ginger and Valdostan mint. On the palate density and tension, brackish tannins, officinal memories and red fruits. Closes with menthol notes."
98 Points – Decanter:
"Year after year a label of the greatest consistency. Whole-bunch grapes given a long maceration without punchdowns or pumpovers, the wine aged for 33 months in large oak: an indicator of the vintage's quality. Although very light in colour, it demonstrates its typical wild strawberry, peony, violet and cinnamon aromas, and some minerality, vermouth-like in its aromatic intensity. On the palate there is a great concentration of fruit, with velvety tannins and a finish of filigree elegance.”
97 Points - Wine Advocate
97 Points - Wine Enthusiast
95 Points - Vinous
95 Points - Jeb Dunuck
Only 4 x Bottles Left
Elsewhere $600.00
$449.97
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2019 G.B. Burlotto "Monvigliero" Barolo DOCG
100 Points - Wine Advocate:
"This wine feels like a delicate whisper in the ear that tickles and taunts but gets its message across. The Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2019 Barolo Monvigliero definitely spoke to me thanks to its immediate complexity that transcends wild strawberry, aromatic herb, white pepper, orange peel, hazelnut, truffle essence, autumnal leaf, cinnamon and pencil shaving. I could go on. The first vintage made was 1982, and Monvigliero famously sees whole cluster fruit to add to those spicy and herbaceous aromas that are so delicate and fleeting. Fabio Alessandria's other important Barolos, like Castelletto and Acclivi, are made with destemmed grapes, but whole cluster fermentation fits in with the characteristics of the Monvigliero cru. Fabio explains that the use of full bunches is not about gaining structural power per se; it's about obtaining complexity. The 2019 vintage is all about energy and tension, and although the nature of the vintage is a bit closed in its youth, this wine is poised for long aging. 2025-2060."
99 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
99 Points - Vinous
98 Points - Decanter
Only 3 x Bottles Left
Elsewhere $750.00
$649.97
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